Eswatini (aka Swaziland) Will Soon Introduce First Draft Of Cannabis Legislation Into Parliament

Cannabis Law Report has learnt that the following drafts for cannabis regulation and licensing expect to go to the Eswatini parliament chambers at the end of August or early September this year. The Eswatini government is looking to pass legislation similar to that of neighbouring kingdom Lesotho

We’ve been informed by our source that on passing the legislature the bills then go to the king for assent.

Our source also reveals that there will be only 4 initial licenses up for grabs

Link below to the following press release issued 16 January 2019 by Florida based Profile Solutions, Inc. in January (OTC Pink: PSIQ) is pleased to announce the receipt of $2,500,000 to become the only licensed growing farm and processing plant for medical cannabis & industrial hemp in The Kingdom of eSwatini f/k/a Swaziland (“eSwatini”) for a minimum of 10 years.

Prohibition Partners (London) has identified Eswatini as a Tier 2 country in their report on Africa published last month

A number of countries were also identified as Tier 2 countries, which are defined as countries that have active reviews of their current cannabis laws, or are likely to introduce some form of cannabis liberalization measures in the near-future. The report lists Malawi, Morocco, Ghana, and eSwatini (formally Swaziland) as countries with active campaigns to change the legal status of cannabis within their borders.

On the other side of the coin, local growers in Eswatini worry about the effect of regulation over the border in South Africa.

The SA Business Insider reports. Eswatini farmers growing cannabis known as ‘Swazi gold’ may face economic ruin after its main source of income, neighbouring country South Africa, legalized the private growth and consumption of their country, reports Reuters.

“I need some money from ganja (cannabis), secondly this thing is a game like to me because I farm and sometimes some cops come and burn it,” said Mbuso, a farmer who has been growing cannabis for fourteen years in the country formally known a Swaziland.

Mbuso is just one of scores of farmers in this small kingdom who depend on high demand for their potent cannabis strain. They sell a gram of cannabis for about R7, that is then smuggled into South African and Mozambique where it is typically sold for about 10 times the price it was bought.

The Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini, in anticipating significant economic and medical benefit from the legalization of cannabis for medical and scientific useis working on an enabling legislative environment for this purpose. This will be achieved by putting in place proper legislation and regulatory framework that will avoid the diversion of cannabis to the illicit market whilst safeguarding public health of the nation.

In accordance to the Opium and Habit forming drugs Act of 1922 the Minister for health is the only one mandated to issue a license to individuals for purposes of medicinal use or research. It is on this premise that the Ministry of Health has prepared regulations to this effect and is in the process of conducting consultations before sending it forward for the necessary approvals.

These regulations set forth conditions and requirements under which a license to deal in cannabis business will be issued, and how this kind of business will be monitored by the relevant authorities.

As an important stakeholder you are requested to review these regulations and make your input where relevant.